Drill prepares first responders, teachers for grim reality

NORWICH – Given the all too often deadly shootings in schools nationwide, the Norwich City School District put safety at the forefront on Friday with a special training exercise for faculty and emergency personnel.

The event, colloquially known as an “introducer drill,” allowed local law enforcement agencies – the Norwich City Police Department, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, and New York State Police – to collaborate with school teachers, students, and administrators on certain procedures should a dangerous individual ever enter a school building. It also provided opportunities for first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, to practice their role in such a situation.

According to school administration, the exercise was a chance to confront a grim reality that schools need to be prepared should a real-life situation ever come to fruition.